Fluid fan clutch

Abstract

A fluid fan clutch according to the present invention comprises: a fan housing provided with a housing main body having a concave fluid operating chamber formed at a center part thereof, and a housing cover, which has a concave fluid storing chamber formed at the center part thereof and is laminated to cover an opening of the fluid operating chamber, and having a fluid collecting hole and a fluid outlet respectively formed on a bottom plate and a side wall of the fluid storing chamber; a rotor rotation shaft provided so as to penetrate the bottom plate of the housing main body; a rotor fixed and coupled to the rotor rotation shaft in the fluid operating chamber; a valve ring formed in a ring-shape to be adhered to an inner wall of the fluid storing chamber and having a penetration hole formed at a point corresponding with the fluid outlet; and a check valve provided inside the fluid storing chamber as a rotatable structure to seal one of the fluid collecting hole and the penetration hole according to the rotation angle and open the other.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fluid fan clutch comprising:
 a fan housing comprising a housing body provided with a concave fluid operation chamber formed at a center portion thereof and a housing cover provided with a concave fluid storage chamber formed at a center portion thereof and stacked to cover an opening of the fluid operation chamber, the fluid storage chamber being provided with a bottom plate having a fluid collection port formed therein and a side wall having a fluid discharge port formed therein; 
 a rotor shaft disposed to penetrate the bottom plate of the housing body; 
 a rotor fixedly coupled to the rotor shaft in the fluid operation chamber; 
 a valve ring formed in a ring shape to closely contact an inner wall of the fluid storage chamber, the valve ring being provided with a through hole formed at a position corresponding to the fluid discharge port; and 
 a check valve rotatably disposed in the fluid storage chamber, the check valve being configured to seal one of the fluid collection port and the through hole and open the other one of the fluid collection port and the through hole according to a rotation angle thereof, 
 wherein the bottom plate of the fluid storage chamber is provided with a collecting flow path extending such that one side of the collecting flow path corresponds to the fluid collection port, and the other side thereof is positioned at an edge portion of the fluid operation chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The fluid fan clutch according to  claim 1 , wherein the check valve comprises a plurality of an extension blades radially extending with respect to a center of a bottom of the fluid storage chamber to open and dose the collecting flow path, and a curved portion extending perpendicularly from the extension blades to open and close the through hole. 
     
     
       3. The fluid fan clutch according to  claim 2 , wherein the valve ring is provided with a magnetic portion and a non-magnetic portion arranged alternately in a circumferential direction, and the curved portion is formed of a magnetic material,
 wherein the check valve rotates to cause the curved portion to close or open the through hole according to whether or not an electric current is applied to the valve ring. 
 
     
     
       4. The fluid fan clutch according to  claim 3 , wherein the through hole is formed in the non-magnetic portion,
 wherein the check valve is further provided with a restoration means configured to exert a restoring rotational force to the check valve such that the current portion is positioned to close the through hole when there is no separate external force exerted. 
 
     
     
       5. The fluid fan clutch according to  claim 4 , further comprising a stopper configured to limit a range of rotation of the check valve.